If The Slipper Fits
by canadiankiwi
Summary: *ON HIATUS* You wear it! But what if the slipper fit a stepsister? Eveline is in that situation now, and she is desperate for her happiness.
1. Chapter 1

Evenline was locked in the closet. She usually was. But not in a situation like this, though. Her true love was standing outside looking for her, and she was helpless-- trapped in the cupboard with a broken ankle.

The busted foot was thanks from her stepmother. In her rage after the ball, the woman had started flinging objects around the room. A ceramic vase had caught Eveline around the feet, thus the painful injury.

But now was not the time to be dwelling on that. The girl shifted her glance back to the keyhole to behold the scene before her.

A pompous man had entered the parlour and announced the Prince Nicholas--her love. And now he was approaching her step-family, a silver shoe in his hands. She saw the prince survey the prim family standing in front of him with a saddened disdain.

"Are there any other young ladies in this household?" He asked dully. Eveline was sure it had become a habit over the last few days.

Her Stepmother, Lady Vivienne shook her head. "Just my two darlings, Adelaide and Doreen."

Eveline couldn't help herself, having kept quiet long enough. From her enclosed predicament the girl cried out, "That is not true!"

Lady Vivienne gasped and the pompous man acompaning the Prince rushed over to the closet door and jiggled the handle.

"Madam, are you harbouring a_ person_ in there?"

Lady Vivienne had no choice now. She reached into her bodice and retrieved the key. When the door was unlocked, Eveline tumbled out of the cupboard and her stepmother gripped her firmly by the arm.

"Who is this person?" The Prince demanded.

"Just the servant girl," the Lady curtly replied.

"Would you care to explain why she was locked away?"

"That is simple," Lady Vivienne replied. "She is a trouble maker, and I didn't want her to _mess things up_." She uttered the last words through clenched teeth and her nails digging into Eveline's skinny arm.

"Well, I still have to try the slipper on her," the Prince muttered. "Sit down miss."

She oblidged, glad that her happily ever after was coming closer. She could almost reach it now. Her sunny thoughts were extinguished immidiately when she shifted her brin skirt and revealed her red, swollen foot. There was no way the delicate shoe would fit on her foot now. And it didn't. Her stepmother snickered.

"You see, Your Highness? She is just a common girl, and wasted your valuable time. Come try the slipper on Adelaide's foot instead."

Eveline felt her eyes glassing over with tears of pain. She sank to the floor in disbelief when the cry of elation rang out from her stepsister, and the Prince declared Adelaide his new bride. She was sobbing as her stepfamily cackled with delight and began packing. And her heart soared away as the sun went down that night.

"Fairy Godmother, where are you?" She screamed into the darkness.

Something did appear, glistening in a pink bubble, but it wasn't her magical saviour. It was a small card bearing a short message. _'Sorry I cannot help you further, dear, but I am strictly a 'ball' fairy. I can only get you to the party, not win the Prince.'_

Eveline felt her stomach turn over. Even her Fairy Godmother was against her. What else could possibly go wrong?


	2. Chapter 2

"We will not be needing this_ shack_ any longer, darlings," Lady Vivienne announced to her daughters one afternoon. "The palace is our new home."

Eveline paused from the rigorous packing she was doing, and snorted. Unfortunately her stepmother heard. "What was that, girl? Something you must say?"

Eveline stood up straight. "Indeed I do. I am going to tell the Prince everything, including how you killed father and made me a slave."

"Hah! Do you really think His Highness is going to believe such a ridiculous story? I can just see it now! The ragged servant declaring that she is the Prince's true love, as he walks down the aisle with Adelaide!" Lady Vivienne and her daughters started laughing uncontrollably.

"I don't intend on waiting until the wedding day,_ Madame_," Eveline muttered defensively. "I'll go right this instant."

"Oh no you don't!" Stepmother cried. Then with surprising force, the woman grabbed Eveline by her elbows and dragged her down the stairs. Eveline was locked in the closet again.

She was kept there for five days. It was dark, cramped and lonely. Not to mention she was being starved.

Finally came the day her step family was to move into the palace. Eveline was to come, only so her stepmother could keep an eye on her, and to make herself useful.

*

The carriage ride was torture. Adelaide kept yapping and gushing over her new fiancee, while Lady Vivienne fussed with everyones gowns. Doreen entertained herself by poking and prodding Eveline. She never was so happy then when the carriage stopped.

The castle was the most beautiful things she had ever seen. It was easily twenty stories tall, and fifty windows wide. there were turrets and towers and flags of every colour. It was built of white and grey stones, and the copper roof had started to turn green with age. There was a grand set of stairs that lead up to the ornately carved doors, where the royal family stood.

Eveline felt her stomach do a flop. It hurt her to see Prince Nicholas gazing at Adelaide so adoringly. Although, she reflected, many men couldn't keep their eyes off of Adelaide. She really was pretty, with her hourglass figure, and shining golden hair. Her eyes were a sparkling blue, and her chiffon dress floated in the light morning breeze. Eveline looked mournfully at her own brown jumper and dirty blouse.

"Announcing Lady Adelaide Charmmon, fiancee of Prince Nicholas DuLoch, Lady Vivienne Charmmon, Mistress of Hark Manor, and Lady Doreen Charmmon, heir to Hark Manor!"

Eveline's blood started boiling. That manor was supposed to be hers! Not that pig of a stepsister, Doreen. The Prince was supposed to be hers as well. _Give your head a shake_, she thought to herself. _No use getting greedy over those things. _But her father's manor was hers, left in the will to his only child. But Lady Vivienne had completely ignored it, and taken everything of Eveline's for herself.

"Girl! Grab the luggage!"

Eveline glared at her Stepmother with fire in her eyes. "Make me," she said defiantly. Lady Vivienne leaned over so her face was an inch away from Eveline's. "Do you really want me too?" She whispered dangerously. Then the woman straightened up and exited the carriage. "You there!" She called to the stable boy holding the horses reins. "What happens to servants that don't do as they are told?"

The stable boy shuffled his feet. "A whipping, mam."

Lady Vivienne cackled evilly, then turned back to Eveline. "Grab the luggage, girl, or I will see you getting a beating you will never forget." From the look in her stepmother's eyes, Eveline could tell it was no bluff. She didn't want to find out for sure.

Eveline picked up two bags and started up the stairs after her stepfamily. She suddenly found herself very weak, and remembered she hadn't had a thing to drink for six days. She swayed on the spot, and thought, as the world went dark, _At least I don't have to carry the bags..._

*

"Sploosh!" Eveline awoke with a start, as a bucket of ice water was poured over her.

"Here, eat this," a voice commanded, and a bowl of stew was thrust into her hands. She ate greedily, and found her strength returning. She glanced at her surroundings. There was an awful lot of hay and dust, and a patchwork quilt covered her legs. A boy sat in the corner polishing a horses' saddle.

"Erm, thanks?" Eveline ventured, looking at the boy. He gave a start, apparently suprised that she was speaking. "No prob'm, miss. I-I-I mean yes prob'm! Yer mistress was lookin at me right mad when I brought yeh here, and even more mad when I carried in them bags for yeh."

Eveline felt a rush of affection roll over her. "But why did you help me? I mean, thanks and all, but nobody was ever nice to me like that."

The boy shrugged. "That's kinda what I reckoned. Yer mistress seemed keen on just lettin yeh stay in the dirt there. Hey, do yeh want some more stew? Yeh inhaled that bowl pretty fast."

"Oh, no I couldn't. I have to go." Eveline jumped up, and immediately felt her legs begin to crumble again. The boy rushed over to steady her. "Yeh can't be racin about just yet! Yeh are just gettin yer strength back! Yer mistress can't expect yeh to work like this!"

Eveline pulled away. "You don't know my stepmother," she mumbled. Then, registering the look of shock on the boy's face she tried to cover up. "Mistress! I meant mistress!" It was too late.

"That lady is yer stepmam? And she treats yeh like that?"

Eveline hung her head in shame. She had never told anyone that she was a slave for her stepmother. She felt it too humiliating. "Yes," she spat bitterly. "And she will kill me if I don't get there soon. Could you tell me the way to Lady Vivienne's suite?"

The boy gestured to the door. "Go to the servants entrance. The back stairs will take yeh up to the fourteenth floor. Yeh should be able to find yer stepmam's suite from there." Eveline started out the door, but as she walked past the boy, he grabbed her arm. "Yeh're gonna come back here and tell me yer story. Got it?"

Eveline nodded and rushed away.

*

"Where have you been?" Lady Vivienne screeched, shaking Eveline by the shoulders.

"I told you! I passed out!"

"That is no excuse. Now put this mess away!" The Lady shrieked, gesturing to the jumble of trunks and bags littering the floor. "Why should I? It's your stuff!" Eveline yelled. "I am tired of being your slave!"

Her stepmother grabbed the metal poker from beside the fireplace and struck Eveline across the back. The poor girl fell to the floor in pain. Lady Vivienne leaned forward. "You got what you deserved. You are my slave, my property. Now clean up this mess."


End file.
